Improved safety and correctness data reading in non-volatile memory devices

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure includes systems, apparatus, and methods for improving safety and correctness of data reading in flash memory devices associated with System-on-Chips. An example may include a plurality of sub-arrays, a plurality of memory blocks in each sub-array of the plurality of sub-arrays, a plurality of memory rows in each memory block of the plurality of memory blocks, and a plurality of extended pales in each memory row of the plurality of memory rows, wherein each extended page of the plurality of extended pages includes a group of data, an address, and an error correction code (ECC).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to memory devices and a moreparticularly to embodiments relating to safety and improved performancesof data reading in non-volatile memory device.

BACKGROUND

Memory devices are well known in the electronic field to store and allowaccessing to digital information. In general, different kind ofsemiconductor memory devices may be incorporated into more complexsystems including either non-volatile memory components as well asvolatile memory components, for instance in so-called System-on-Chips(SoC) wherein the above-mentioned memory components are embedded.

Nowadays, however, the need of Real Time Operative Systems, inparticular for automotive applications requires SoC with more and moreincreased performances and efficiency and the known solutions no longersatisfy these requirements particularly in terms of safety. Non-volatilememory can provide persistent data by retaining stored data when notpowered and can include NAND flash memory, NOR flash memory, 3D XPointmemories, MRAMs, STTRAM and CBRAMs, among others. NAND flash has reducederase and write times, and requires less chip area per cell, thusallowing greater storage density and lower cost per bit than NOR flash.However, the I/O interface of NAND flash does not provide arandom-access external address bus. Rather, data must be read on ablock-wise basis, with typical block sizes of hundreds to thousands ofbits.

Flash memory devices suffer temperature variation, in particular theincrease of the temperature during their functioning. The reason ismainly due to the fact that when the floating gates forming the memoryis biased in presence of a higher temperature may reach an energy levelsufficient to allow a jump into the channel and the consequence is acharge lost. In other technologies using for instance charge traps, thehigh temperature accelerates the recombination and this means losing thestored info. These problems affect the safety and correctness of thedata read from the memory device.

Moreover, in automotive applications, interactions between the humanbody and electrical/electronic systems are increasing significantly,specifically when managing safety-critical decisions that can have asevere impact on a driver's health. As the evolution of these advancedsafety systems moves from passive to more active, including predictivesafety and even autonomous vehicle concepts, the automotive industry hasand will continue to demand that strict requirements be met even forpassengers, pedestrians and the other operators on the roads.

Managing these safety-critical decisions is trending toward increasedcomplexity and additional software content in safety systems. Withgreater complexity, there are increasing risks of systematic and/orrandom hardware failures.

There is a need of providing a Flash memory device associated to a SoCdevice offering improved safety and correctness data reading thusreducing the risk of malfunctions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a system including a memory componentassociated to a controller exchanging data, address and control signalswith the memory device;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the memory component according to thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a schematic layout view of an example of the memory componentaccording to embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a memory block formed by a plurality ofrows of the memory array according to one embodiment of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a group of address registers for a memorypage in the memory component of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating phases of a method for improvingthe safety of the data reading in non-volatile memory device of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 7 is another block diagram illustrating phases of a method forimproving the safety of the data reading in non-volatile memory deviceof the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Several embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to memorydevices, systems including memory devices or components and methods ofoperating memory devices or components avoiding the potential problemsof aging, temperature and process drift during memory operation.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure a new memory architecture isprovided for an improved safety and performances of the data readingphase in the non-volatile memory device.

In the following detailed description, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings that form a part thereof and in which is shown, byway of illustration, specific embodiments. In the drawings, likenumerals describe substantially similar components throughout theseveral views. Other embodiments may be disclosed and structural,logical, and electrical changes may be made without departing from thescope of the present disclosure. The following detailed description is,therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.

When a memory array is addressed, there may be one or more layers ofaddress translation, for instance a translation between a logicaladdress used by a host device and a physical address corresponding to alocation in the memory array. Changes in threshold voltage of the cells,through programming of a charge storage structure, such as floatinggates or trapping layers or other physical phenomena, determine the datastate of each cell.

Moreover, it may happen that temperature variations inside a same devicemay generate reading drifts called ghost temperature issue.

The drawback connected to such temperature variations has an impact onthe real bit distribution that is detected by the sense amplifiers asmoved with respect to the ideal central value for which they have beenprogrammed.

Just to give a practical example, if the programming phase has beenperformed at −40° C., it may happen that at 120° C. the reading resultsinclude many errors. This is a real issue for all chips incorporatedinto automotive devices wherein a raising of the temperature during theoperation of a vehicle must be taken in consideration; moreover, a raisein temperature moves or enlarges either the distribution of the wellerased/programmed cells to the left and/or to the right (e.g., to lowerand/or higher threshold voltage).

Therefore, the reading phase of the memory device is most of the timesperformed in environments conditions similar to the original programmingphase; this is true also for the erasing phase.

Moreover, the drift due to temperature is further increased by the ageand intense usage (e.g., in terms of write/erase cycles) of the deviceand this problem could be particularly delicate for memory devicesincorporated into System-on-Chip driving autonomous vehicles.

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic example of a system 10 incorporating aflash memory device 100. The system also includes a memory controller101 that is coupled to the memory device 100.

The controller 101 is shown coupled to the memory device 100 over a databus 105, a control bus 106, and an address bus 107. In one embodiment,the data bus could be a 64 bit and/or 128 bit wide double data rate(DDR) bus.

More specifically, with reference to FIG. 2, the non-volatile memorycomponent or device 100 includes an array 90 of Flash memory cells and acircuitry located around the memory array, as described in more detailbelow. The coupling between the SoC structure 10 and the memorycomponent 100 is obtained by interconnecting a plurality of respectivepads or pin terminals that are faced one toward the other in a circuitlayout that keeps the alignment of the pads even if the size of thememory component is modified.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the arrangement of the padsof the memory component has been realized on a surface of the memorycomponent 100, in practice on the top of the array. More specifically,the pads are arranged over the array so that, when the memory component100 is reversed or flipped, its pads are faced to corresponding pads ofthe host or SoC structure 10.

The memory component 100 is manufactured according to the user's needsin a range of values that may vary according to the availabletechnology, for instance from at least 128 Mbit to 512 Mbit or even morewithout any limitation for the applicant's rights. More specifically,the proposed external architecture allows to overpass the limit of thecurrent eFlash (i.e. embedded flash technology) allowing the integrationof bigger memory, as it can be 512 Mbit and/or 1 Gbit and/or moredepending on the memory technology and technology node.

The final configuration will be a face-to-face interconnection SoC/FlashArray with the sense amplifiers connected to the SoC in a Direct MemoryAccess configuration for user modes with high frequency accesses.

The Direct Memory Access allows reducing the final latency that the SoCcan experience when reading the data. Moreover, the final latency isalso reduced by the block form factor, the sense amplifiers distributionbetween blocks, the selection of the comparison threshold in the senseamplifiers and the optimized path.

For a better understanding of the principle of the present disclosure itshould be noted that a direct memory access is a feature of computingsystems that allows certain hardware subsystems to access main systemmemory (generally volatile such as random-access memory), independent ofthe CPU (Central Processing Unit).

More Specifically, DMA is used when the CPU is using memory and it istypically occupied for some clock cycle of the read or write operation.Thus, whenever the I/O devices access the memory it takes a lot of timeto get the data in and/or out of the memory.

The I/O devices first initiates the transfer using DMA Controller,relinquishing the control of buses from the CPU, and then CPU does otheroperations while the transfer is in progress, and it finally receives aninterrupt from the DMA controller when the operation is done, henceaddress or data buses can now be used by it for its internal operations.This feature is useful at any time that the CPU cannot keep up with therate of data transfer, or when the CPU needs to perform work whilewaiting for a relatively slow I/O (Input or Output) data transfer. Manyhardware systems use DMA, including disk drive controllers, graphicscards, network cards and sound cards.

DMA is used according to the present disclosure for intra-system datatransfer in multi-core processors. The cores that have DMA channels cantransfer data to and from the memory components with much less CPUoverhead than cores without DMA channels. Similarly, a processingelement inside a multi-core processor can transfer data to and from itslocal memory without occupying its processor time, allowing computationand data transfer to proceed in parallel.

The direct memory access of the present disclosure employs boundary scancells and sense amplifiers as a system and method for addressing directmemory access operation and locating the memory address to a specificDMA flash array. In this respect, a modified JTAG cell structure isimplemented to allow enlarging the memory pages to be read in a directaccess.

With more specific reference to the example of FIG. 2, the mainstructure of the memory component 100 according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure will be disclosed.

The memory component 100 includes at least: an I/O circuit 5, amicro-sequencer 3, an array of memory cells 90, voltage and currentreference generators 7, charge pumps 2 and decoding circuitry 8 locatedat the array periphery or below the array, sense amplifiers 9 andcorresponding latches, a command user interface, for instance a CUIblock 4.

The array of memory cells 90 includes non-volatile Flash memory cells.The cells can be erased in blocks instead of one byte at a time. Eacherasable block of memory comprises a plurality of non-volatile memorycells arranged in a matrix of rows and columns. Each cell is coupled toan access line and/or a data line. The cells are programmed and erasedby manipulating the voltages and timing on the access and data lines.

To write and erase the memory cells of the Array 90 it is provided adedicated logic circuit portion including a simplified ReducedInstruction Set Computer (RISC) controller or a Modify Finite StateMachine or that is the logic circuit for handling the programming anderasing algorithms.

To read the memory cells of the array 90 it is provided a dedicatedcircuit portion including an optimized Read Finite State Machine or RISCthat is used to ensure high read performance, such as: branchprediction, fetch/pre-fetch, interrupt management, and so on. The errorcorrection is left, as operation, to the SoC 10; the additional bits areprovided to the controller 101 to store any possible ECC syndromeassociated with the page. The ECC cells allows the host controller tounderstand if corruption is happening in the data plus address content.The ECC allows the host also to correct the received data, the host isresponsible to fix the data in the memory based on the correction madein the received data.

The writing and erasing phases above reported are handled by the memorycontroller located inside the memory device, since the internal flashcontroller does not work in read operations that are driven by the host.

Making now more specific reference to the example of FIG. 3, in oneembodiment of the present disclosure the memory array 90 is built as acollection of sub arrays 120. In this manner, having smaller sectors ifcompared to known solutions the access time is significantly reduced andthe whole throughput of the memory component is improved.

This architecture is very scalable and expanding and/or reducing thedensity of the final device translated only in mirroring a sub-array andgenerating the connection.

The host device or the System-on-Chip 10 normally includes more than onecore and each core is coupled to a corresponding bus or channel forreceiving and transferring data to the memory component 1. Eachsub-array 120 has access to a corresponding channel to communicate witha corresponding core of the System-on-Chip.

The core of the host device can have access to a JTAG interface by usingsome internal pads. Such pads are high speed and have the capability tosupport the maximum frequency. Such pads however cannot manage analogvoltage outside the flash array.

In embodiments of the present disclosure a Direct Memory Access (DMA)allows to reduce the final latency that the SoC can experience whenreading the data.

To overcome the problems of flash memory devices embedded inSystem-on-Chips and obtaining a very low initial latency and highthroughput, it has been designed a scalable, low-cost, effective andreliable memory apparatus and method involving completion of readoperation with data, address and ECC by DMA flash array, ensuring thatthe data must be read from exactly the same memory location as thecontroller is asking for.

Coming now to a closer look to the internal structure of the memorycomponent 100 it should be noted that the architecture of the array 90is built as a collection of sub arrays 120, as shown schematically inFIG. 3.

Each sub array 120 is independently addressable inside the memory device100. Each sub-array 120 contains multiple memory blocks 160, as depictedin FIGS. 3 and 4.

In this manner, having smaller sectors if compared to known solutionsthe access time is significantly reduced and the whole throughput of thememory component is improved. The reduction of the initial latency timeis at block level because the row and column lines, the read pathassociated latency and the external communication have been optimized.

In the embodiments disclosed herewith the memory array 90 is structuredwith a number of sub-arrays 120 at least corresponding to the number ofcores of the associated SoC 10 and, therefore to the number ofcorresponding communication channels. For instance, at least four memorysub arrays 120 one for each communication channel with a correspondingcore of the SoC 10 are provided.

The host device or the System-on-Chip 10 normally includes more than onecore and each core is coupled to a corresponding bus or channel forreceiving and transferring data to the memory component 100.

Therefore, in the present implementation each sub-array 120 has accessto a corresponding channel to communicate with a corresponding core ofthe System-on-Chip 10. The outcome of the memory blocks is drivendirectly to the SoC without using high power output buffers andoptimizing the path.

This architecture is very scalable, wherein expanding and/or reducingthe density of the final device translates only in mirroring a sub-arrayand generating the connection or increasing the number of blocks of eachsubarray, that is the available density per core.

It should be further noted that each subarray 120 includes addressregisters connected to data buffer registers, similarly to anarchitecture used in a DRAM memory device.

Moreover, in one embodiment of the present disclosure each memory subarray 120 is structured in memory blocks 160 shown schematically in FIG.4.

Each independently addressable location of the blocks of each memory subarray 90 addresses an extended page 150. Later, a couple of extendedpages will be defined with the term “super page”.

Said differently, the atomic page of 128 bits used in each sub-array 120to fill the communication channel with the SoC device has been enlargedin the present implementation to contain the stored address and the ECC.

As non-limiting example, this extended page 150 comprises a stringincluding a first group of at least N Bits, for instanceone-hundred-twenty-eight (128) Bit for the I/O data exchange with theSoC device 10 plus at least a second group of M Bits, for instancetwenty-four (24) address Bit and a final or third group of at least RBits, for instance sixteen (16) ECC Bit. The M address Bit (in theexample the twenty-four address Bits) are sufficient to address up to 2GigaBit of available memory space.

According to the present disclosure, the outputs of the sense amplifiersSA prepare a double extended page at a time, i.e. a super-page 150comprising a number of Bits given by the double combination of theabove-mentioned three groups of data bits, address bits and ECC bits,according to the size of the memory array.

In the specific but non-limiting example disclosed herewith eachextended page 150 includes at least 168 Bit obtained by the combinationof the above three groups of N+M+R=128+24+16 data, address and ECC Bitand each super-page is formed by a couple of extended pages, i.e. agroup of 168×2 Bits.

Just to give a non-limiting numeric example, each row of a memory block160 includes sixteen extended pages. Therefore, the resulting rowincludes 2688 Bit coming out from the combination of sixteen extendedpages independently addressable and each including 168 Bit or, saiddifferently, the combination of eight super-pages.

A first embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a non-volatilememory device including at least an array of memory cells withassociated decoding and sensing circuitry and a memory controller,wherein the memory array comprises:

-   -   a plurality of sub-arrays in said at least an array;    -   a plurality of memory blocks in each sub-array;    -   a plurality of memory rows in each memory block;    -   a plurality of extended pages in each memory row, each extended        page including a group of data, address and ECC Bit to improve        the safety of the data reading.

Another embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a method forimproving the safety and correctness of data reading in a memory deviceassociated to a host device or System-on-chip and including a memoryarray of memory cells, comprising:

-   -   storing data in data memory cells;    -   storing memory address in first memory cells of a spare area;    -   storing ECC in second memory cells of the spare area;    -   comparing a content of the first memory cells with an address of        a requested data.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating phases of a method for improvingthe safety of the data reading in non-volatile memory device of thepresent disclosure according to the method described above. The methodmay be carried out by the memory device or component further describedin detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.

A further embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a method forimproving the safety of the data reading in an independent memory deviceincluding an array of memory cells and coupled to a SoC through acommunication channel, the method comprising:

-   -   defining an extended memory page including data Bits, address        Bits and ECC bits;    -   reading said extended memory page in the SoC;    -   comparing in the SoC the address Bits of the extended page read        during the reading with requested address bits to verify        correctness of a location of the data Bits.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating phases of a method for improvingthe safety of the data reading in non-volatile memory device of thepresent disclosure according to the method described above. The methodmay be carried out by the memory device or component further describedin detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG.4, at least a dummy row 200 is associated to each block 160 of thememory sub array 120.

This dummy row 200 is located outside the address space of the memoryarray 90 and is used for the optimization of the read, write and eraseparameters. Moreover, this dummy row is used for erase robustnessmonitor, for good completion of modify operations and others purpose.

According to another embodiment, the dummy row of a block 160 isprovided in another block of the memory sub-array 120.

The presence of this dummy row allows storing the read parameters in aproper time and manner to use the monitor operation to optimize thefurther steps.

Therefore, a main purpose of this dummy row 200 is that of trackingparameters that may be used during the read and erase phases of thememory component 100 and/or to store some parameters for discovering apossible occurred power loss.

The dummy row 200 contains a pattern that is known to the controller 101of the memory device 100.

Each memory block contains at least 256 rows and each row includessixteen extended pages of the above size. Each extended page includes atleast 168 Bits as a combination of data, addressing and ECC Bits.Therefore, each row of the memory array can contain up to sixteen doublewords of 32 bits each, plus the address and ECC bits per page.

Just to give a numeric value, an extended page is formed by128+16+24=168 Bits and sixteen extended pages per each row comprise168*16=2688 bits.

Therefore, each row 135 of a memory block 160 includes at least sixteenpages comprising a memory word plus the corresponding address Bits andthe corresponding ECC Bits or, said differently, the combination ofeight extended pages.

Obviously, another size can be selected and the reported value are justfor illustration purpose of a non-limiting example. The outcome of theblocks is driven directly by the host device or SoC 10 without usinghigh power output buffers of the known solutions and optimizing the paththanks a modified and optimized JTAG interface.

The outputs of the sense amplifiers SA per sub array 120 are latched byan internal circuit of a read interface. The memory structure can beexpanded to allow multi-page read while shifting out the already readpage.

The sense amplifiers SA are connected directly to a modified JTAG cells,that will be later disclosed, so to integrate a JTAG structure and thesense amplifiers in a single circuit portion. This allows reducing asmuch as possible the delay in propagating the output of the memory arrayto the SoC.

As previously said, the internal sense amplifiers 9 are preparing twopages of at least 128 bits plus address and ECC Bits for a total of 168Bits and while the first page is ready to be shifted, internally it isperformed a further read operation of a second page associated with thesame address.

This allows to prepare from five to eight double word, that are typicalin the RTOS application allowing the sense amplifiers to execute afurther internal read operation to prepare the second nibble or group of168 Bits, if the system is structured with two pages of 168 Bits. Thisis the reason for having chosen a double page of 2×128 bits pluscorresponding addresses and ECC Bits.

This second part of four double words is transferred to the output ofthe flash array 90, using an additional enabling signal (i.e. aninternal clock signal or an ADV signal) that transfers the content readat sense amplifier level to the host device or SoC device 10. The signalnames are load_data [0, 1] . . . there is no need of incrementing theaddress when using the super page.

The combined string of data cells+address cells+ECC cells allows toimplement the whole safety coverage of the communication channelaccording to the standard requirements of the rule ISO26262, because thehost first corrects the data stream, if any, and then compares the sentaddress with the received one.

Moreover, the ECC covers the whole bus communication (data cells+addresscells), while the presence of the address cells provides the confidencethat the data is coming exactly from the addressed location of thecontroller, i.e. if ADD==ADD0.

A JTAG interface is adopted for the test of the memory componentallowing the re-use of the testing tooling. The memory component of thepresent disclosure also comprises a JTAG logic including a JTAGinterface.

In more details, each memory array includes at least a JTAG interfacereceiving as inputs standard JTAG signals: TMS, TCK, TDI as well as datafrom a memory page, for instance the page schematically shown in FIG. 5.According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a flexible TDIsignal is used. The flexibility is due to the fact that the number ofparallel bits working as TDI are depending from a selected registers,i.e. the instruction register, the address register or the dataregister, etc.

This JTAG interface produce as output data, addresses and controlsignals that are transferred to a memory address decoder and also to theinternal flash controller to perform modify, testing, verificationoperations.

The above features are of particular importance for Real Time OperativeSystems for automotive applications wherein it is required to have SoCwith more and more increased performances in the exchange of data withthe memory array.

With the greater complexity of these SoC devices there are increasingrisks of systematic and/or random hardware failures. To help ensure thehighest safety standards and influence the development of safeautomotive systems, the industry has released the latest above-mentionedautomotive safety standard: ISO 26262

In this respect, the solution proposed in the present disclosureachieves a safety target required by the Automotive Safety IntegrityLevel (ASIL) of the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). The levelstatus achieved by the solution disclosed herewith is at least a levelASIL-D

Thanks to the previously disclosed hardware solution, the memory deviceof the present disclosure is implementing a methodology to allow the SoCto understand that data content is read from exactly the address thatthe controller is asking to read.

This methodology is based on:

storing the data information in the Flash cells, for example in Flashmemory cells of a data area;

storing the memory address in Flash cells, for example in a firstplurality of Flash memory cells in a spare area;

storing also the ECC in Flash cells, for example in a second pluralityof Flash memory cells in the spare area;

comparing a content of the first Flash memory cells in the spare areawith an address requested by the host to access the data stored in theFlash memory cells of the data area. In some embodiments the host sendsthe requested address to the memory device or component for thecomparison. This method ensures the correctness of the read operation inthe sense that:

The page is exactly the one addressed;

The presence of the ECC is a guarantee that data and address content iscorrected according to an error correction mechanism.

The implementation of the above safety mechanism contributes to achievethe targeted ASIL level, i.e. D for the memory device 100.

FIG. 5 is schematic view of a group of address registers for a memorypage in the memory component of the present disclosure. Morespecifically, it shows a schematic view indicating that the address bitsand the ECC bits are included also in the channel or bus communicationwith the host or SoC device 10.

In other words, the read data buffers of the memory component 100 arecompleted with:

Data;

Address (stored to execute the comparison);

ECC (to ensure that Data+Address sent to the bus can be corrected incase of errors).

This solution allows improving the safety in all the communicationexchanges from the memory component 100 to the associated SoC device 10.

The architecture and method of the present disclosure has at least acouple of evident advantages. First of all, the system improves thesafety and correctness of the data reading between the host device andthe associated memory device.

Secondly, the system automatically protected against any possiblethermal drift of the environment in which the memory device or thesystem of the memory device is embedded.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and describedherein, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that anarrangement calculated to achieve the same results can be substitutedfor the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to coveradaptations or variations of various embodiments of the presentdisclosure. It is to be understood that the above description has beenmade in an illustrative fashion, and not a restrictive one. Combinationof the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specificallydescribed herein will be apparent to those of skill in the art uponreviewing the above description. The scope of the various embodiments ofthe present disclosure includes other applications in which the abovestructures and methods are used. Therefore, the scope of variousembodiments of the present disclosure should be determined withreference to the appended claims, along with the full range ofequivalents to which such claims are entitled.

1-25. (canceled)
 26. An apparatus comprising: a plurality of sub-arrays;a plurality of memory blocks in each sub-array of the plurality ofsub-arrays; a plurality of memory rows in each memory block of theplurality of memory blocks; and a plurality of extended pages in eachmemory row of the plurality of memory rows, wherein each extended pageof the plurality of extended pages includes a group of data, an address,and an error correction code (ECC).
 27. The apparatus of claim 26,wherein each extended page of the plurality of extended pages isindependently addressable.
 28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein eachmemory block of the plurality of memory blocks includes at least 256rows of memory cells and each memory row of the plurality of memory rowsincludes at least 16 extended pages.
 29. The apparatus of claim 26,wherein each extended page of the plurality of extended pages includingthe group of data, the address, and the ECC includes at least 128 databits, at least 24 address bits, and at least 16 ECC bits.
 30. Theapparatus of claim 26, further comprising sensing circuitry configuredto: read an extended page of the plurality of extended pages in a singleclock cycle to feed a communication bus with a corresponding number ofbits.
 31. An apparatus, comprising: decoding and sensing circuitry; amemory controller; an array of memory cells, wherein the array of memorycells comprises: a plurality of sub-arrays; a plurality of memory blocksin each sub-array of the plurality of sub-arrays; a plurality of rows ineach memory block of the plurality of memory blocks; a plurality ofextended pages in each row of the plurality of rows, wherein eachextended page of the plurality of extended pages includes a group ofdata, an address, and an error correction code (ECC).
 32. The apparatusof claim 31, wherein each extended page of the plurality of extendedpages is independently addressable.
 33. The apparatus of claim 31,wherein each memory block of the plurality of memory blocks includes atleast 256 rows of memory cells and each row of the memory block includesat least 16 extended pages.
 34. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein eachextended page of the plurality of extended pages including the group ofdata, the address, and the ECC comprises at least 168 bits.
 35. Theapparatus of claim 31, wherein each extended page of the plurality ofextended pages including the group of data, the address, and the ECCincludes at least 128 data bits, at least 24 address bits, and at least16 ECC bits.
 36. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the sensingcircuitry is configured to: read an extended page in a single clockcycle to feed a communication bus with a corresponding number of bits.37. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising a dummy row configuredto: store at least internal block variables of a reading phase and aknown pattern.
 38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the dummy row islocated outside an address space of a corresponding block.
 39. Theapparatus of claim 31, further comprising a communication channel or abus provided between a memory component and a host device or aSystem-on-Chip (SoC), wherein the address and the ECC are included inthe communication channel or the bus.
 40. A method, comprising: storingdata in an array of memory cells; storing a memory address in a firstplurality of memory cells in a spare area; storing an error correctioncode (ECC) in a second plurality of memory cells in the spare area; andcomparing a content of the first plurality of memory cells with anaddress of a requested data.
 41. The method of claim 40, whereincomparing the content of the first plurality of memory cells with theaddress of the requested data includes reading the first plurality ofmemory cells in the spare area to obtain the content.
 42. The method ofclaim 40, wherein the array of memory cells comprises: a plurality ofmemory blocks at respective block locations, wherein each memory blocklocation includes an extended page including a group of data bits,address bits, and ECC bits.
 43. The method of claim 42, wherein theextended page includes a string of a first group of 128 data bits, asecond group of 24 address bits, and a third group of 16 ECC bits. 44.The method of claim 42, wherein the extended page is independentlyaddressable.
 45. The method of claim 40, wherein a System-on-Chip (SoC)device is coupled to the array of memory cells in a direct memory accessconfiguration.